The Lone Wolf
by Eve of Faith
Summary: Remus Lupin is intelligent and kind, with a hidden sense of humour that not everyone gets to see due to his slight shyness. Evelyn Murray prefers to be left alone with her books and doesn't have much experience with social interactions. Both of them think very little of themselves. These two combined are the absolute definition of shyness, uncertainty and inexperience.


**I'm absolutely in love with Remus Lupin, so I felt like I had to give writing a fanfiction a try... I haven't written (and posted) an HP fanfic in quite a while, so this will be fun! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my OCs and any unfamiliar plotline.**

* * *

''Evelyn…''

I swatted her hand away like it was a fly, and tried my hardest to focus on my reading. It grew more difficult by the second.

''Evelyn…'' There that hand was again. I sighed.

''You are determined to ruin my study session, aren't you?''

My best friend Marie sat down on the chair on the opposite side of the table with a thud and smiled deviously. ''Yes. You spend too much time in the library nowadays. If you don't watch it you'll grow stuck to that chair.''

I reluctantly put my book down and eyed her from my side of the table. ''I suppose you've missed me terribly?''

''… Well, yes.''

''We have N.E.W.T.s coming up next year, Marie. I have tons of work to do, books to read.''

''I have N.E.W.T.s next year too you know,'' she pointed out, ''and do you see me acting as obsessed as you? And you're so much more clever than I am.''

She glanced at the piles of books surrounding me. ''You need some air, Lyn.''

''Fine,'' I said, knowing that arguing with Marie Coulson wouldn't lead to anything.

''Great!'' she exclaimed. ''Let's go.'' She grabbed me by the sleeve and started pulling me out of my beloved library. I threw one last longing look at the books before they disappeared from my view. As she dragged me through the corridors I told her:

''You know, Madam Pince is going to kill me for leaving all those books out.''

''Ha, don't even try,'' she snorted. ''Madam Pince adores you. You can get away with practically anything in the library.''

''Well, even if she 'adores' me – which she doesn't…''

''She does,'' Marie cut in, and I shot her a look.

''I'll go as far as saying she trusts me in the library. But I've earned that trust, by following the **rules** (''Oh, I think I've heard of those,'' Marie said.)… And trust is easily lost. I have to keep behaving, to have her trust in me.''

''There you go again with them speeches of yours,'' she groaned as we came to the entrance hall. ''And this is one time. You'll be fine.''

I followed her outside, and she hurried down to the lake. That girl never runs out of energy, I swear.

I came after, slightly out of breath after my stupid decision of trying to keep up with her. I'm most certainly not an athlete.

''Aah,'' Marie breathed and leaned against a tree with her legs stretched out on the grass in front of her.

It was the beginning of October so it was still quite warm outside. A few other students were wandering around the grounds, making the most of what was left of the weekend. In their point of view. I would much rather have spent my time in the library, but with a friend like Marie…

''Sit down Lyn,'' she ordered and patted the ground next to her. I joined her, careful to sit on straightened robes.

Marie rolled her eyes. ''You're such a perfectionist.''

''I am,'' I admitted. ''There's nothing wrong with that.''

Sitting outside was actually quite relaxing, I had to admit. I took a deep breath of fresh air and leaned back against the same tree as Marie.

''But it doesn't hurt to be able to have some fun now and then,'' she said.

''Hey!'' I said, annoyed. ''I can have fun.''

Marie laughed. ''Lyn, I mean everyone else's kind of fun. Not your kind of fun. Studying isn't fun.''

''It's very stimulating,'' I argued,'' and that equals fun in many cases.''

''You're such a Ravenclaw,'' she sighed. ''I think you ought to spend some more time with us Gryffindors.''

''Like who?'' I asked and picked a small flower, bringing it to my face and examining it closely.

Marie thought about it for a second. ''Well I could introduce you to the best-knowers-of-fun at Hogwarts, if you'd like.''

My eyes widened, and at this my best friend smirked.

''Potter and his group?'' I exclaimed. ''What would I want to have to do with them?''

''Learn to have fun. Proper fun.''

I clasped my hands over the flower and put them on lap. ''I'm fine, thanks'.''

''Oh, come on Lyn!'' Marie looked me straight in the eyes. ''They are great guys, honestly. Funny, popular…''

''You know I don't care about that,'' I muttered, concerning the latter word. She ignored me and continued to count their oh-so-wonderful abilities and personality traits.

''… brilliant, so I bet they could teach even you a thing or two, and last but not least, handsome.'' She winked. ''Except for Pettigrew perhaps,'' she added in a whisper. ''But he's an okay guy.''

''They're a recipe for trouble Marie.''

''Yeah, I know,'' she grinned, like that was the best thing ever about the four kings of Hogwarts.

''Let's say I agree with this idea,'' I said slowly while looking at the giant squid in the lake. ''What makes you think that they would want to be introduced to me?''

''Who wouldn't want to be introduced to you?'' she smiled. ''Beneath that whole 'leave me alone with my books I don't need any other friends than the brilliant Marie' – you're really a wonderful person.''

''Gee, thanks,'' I said sarcastically.

She smiled and shook her head. ''But honestly, it wouldn't hurt to try to make a few more friends. See it as a way of making contacts, and you know that contacts will be useful in the future.''

She did have a point there, even though she made it sound like I'd use them for my own gain. Which I never would. But her words calmed my nerves. Marie was the only one I'd consider a friend at Hogwarts. We'd shared a compartment on the train first year – I remembered being so glad that I had found an empty one. But then, boom, crash and boom again – there came Marie Coulson, smiling a toothy grin and barging in like she had already known me for several years. I was terribly shy, and still was, but somehow she managed to crack my shell that day and we'd stayed friends ever since.

But we would probably never have become friends if it weren't for her being so persistent and outgoing. I was not one to take the first step. Sure, I had a few acquaintances from the Ravenclaw house with whom I spoke, and that was actually not too difficult. But those relationships ad grown to be what they were over years. I wasn't particularly good at socializing.

I buried my face in my hands. ''I'll think about it.'' I wasn't quite sure if I would though. She had me locked on the spot, and I just had to say something to keep her content for the moment.

''Good.'' She had a look on her face as if she'd already won this battle. She usually got the way she wanted, and I was beginning to feel a little frightened at the thought of how this would turn out…


End file.
